Headings Covered in this issue

The submissions for cooperation with CASS Institutes and the BRI entities included the nexus between security and development; assessment of Chinese investments in Africa and impressions in the Participants at the virtual meeting continent by people and governments; the digital economy in Africa and the challenges of climate change and poverty alleviation. [...] The Ambassador mentioned the following issues directly and strongly are related to the portfolio of the special envoy: how to deepen the relationship between IGAD and the Gulf States, IGAD and the Red Sea Council in Riyadh and the IGAD task force, The IGAD region and interregional (cross-regional) integration; how to mainstream health concern and the pandemic impact, how can we benefit out of it o. [...] Under pillar1, developing a security community in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea Arena, the papers were updated towards developing a holistic framework to capture key characteristics of the current peace and security in the region; challenges and impact on the peace and security architecture of both IGAD and the AU. [...] The convening of the regional conference on peace, security, stability, cooperation and development in the HoA (CPHA) depended on the weight of the updated documents/outcome of reports; subsequently the decision by the AU Peace and Security Council after its consideration of the final reports. [...] It will be a unique venue to integrate and bring together the research findings of the RWG and the summaries from the country visits of the AUHIP in pursuit of framing the challenges and prospects to the AU, IGAD, and other regional and continental partners.